Guided Meditation For Beginners
Unlock the power of meditation with Idanim and learn different meditation techniques that promote inner peace & well-being.
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Getting Started With Meditation
Welcome to the transformative journey of meditation, where you can unlock the power of meditation and cultivate a healthy & peaceful lifestyle. Whether you are new to meditation or looking to deepen your practice, Idanim is here to guide you on this enriching path.
What is Meditation? Meditation is an ancient practice that has been used for centuries to calm the mind, reduce stress, and enhance overall well-being. At its core, meditation involves training the mind to focus and redirect thoughts, leading to a state of heightened awareness and mental clarity. It's not about stopping thoughts entirely but rather learning to observe them without judgment and letting them pass by like clouds in the sky.
Quick Facts on Meditation
The benefits of meditation are no longer just hearsay. Several research indicate that guided meditation for beginners can be beneficial in several ways.
of regular meditation can help you make fewer mistakes
- Science Daily
of regular meditation can improve attention, memory, & mood
- New York University
of regular meditation can boost creativity
- Harvard Business Review
The Science Behind Meditation
There are several other scientific researches and reports backing the fact that practicing mindfulness & meditation brings about positive changes in our physical and mental health by activating our parasympathetic and quieting the sympathetic nervous system. Let’s take a look at some of them:
Meditation improves heart health
In a study conducted by NCBI, people who participated in the mindfulness program had lower heart rates and performed better on the six-minute walking test. It was concluded that the program showed positive effects and therefore could be a useful adjunct to current clinical therapy in patients with heart disease.
Meditation improves working memory
In a research report by Springer, it was concluded that mindfulness training helped impairments in working memory, protected against proactive interference in the hippocampus, and reduced hippocampal volume such as aging, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Meditation for healing
A science article by Daily Beast Psychology Today, wrote about the power of meditation for healing chronic wounds. Scientists suggest that the meditative process focused on the affected body parts can eventually cure infections by increased local blood flow, metabolic activity, and oxygenation.
Meditation improves immune function
In Psychosomatic Medicine Journal of Behavioral Medicine, a research study concluded that after receiving a flu vaccine, meditators who had completed an eight-week mindfulness training program had significantly more antibodies than their non-meditating peers.
Meditation Techniques for Beginners
Meditation brings calmness and inner harmony and helps deal with everyday stress. It makes you more mindful, focused, and peaceful; more aware of your thoughts, speech, and actions. Idanim offers guided meditations for beginners across various categories. Try out and see which one works best for you!
While there are different types of meditations to choose from, we have listed our top 6 meditation techniques for beginners below. If you want to learn about more guided meditations for beginners, check out our blog that lists 11 Different Techniques of Meditation.
Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness meditation for beginners is a simple meditation practice that teaches you to focus on the thoughts that are crossing your mind, without any judgment or rationalization. Beginners can practice mindfulness meditation whenever they want some self-reflection, and they want to churn their thoughts.
Body Scan Meditation
Body scan meditation involves systematically scanning and bringing awareness to different parts of the body. The focus is on noticing sensations, tension, or relaxation in each body part without judgment.
Breath Awareness Meditation
This guided meditation for beginners involves focusing on the breath as it naturally flows in and out of the body. Beginners can sit in a comfortable position and gently focus their attention on the sensation of the breath in the nostrils, the rise and fall of the abdomen, or the feeling of air filling and leaving the lungs.
Mantra Meditation
This meditation technique involves repeating a word, phrase, or sound (mantra) silently or aloud. The repetition of the mantra helps anchor the mind and cultivate a sense of focus and calm. Beginners can choose a simple and meaningful mantra, such as "OM" and repeat it during their meditation practice.
Visualisation Meditation
In this meditation technique, you engage in a guided meditation that takes you on a visual journey. During the practice you imagine yourself in peaceful settings envisioning positive outcomes for your goals. Beginners can visualize any place they’ve already visited or any place they’d like to go.
Sound Meditation
Sound meditation uses sound to support meditation and achieve a state of deep calm. Its goal is to bring about a soothing yet profound experience that aids in physical recovery, mental tranquility, and a refocus to the present moment.
Meditation Tips for Beginners
Before you start your meditation journey, read about the common meditation postures, mistakes to avoid, and other steps of meditation for beginners in our expert blogs.
Meditation Steps for Beginners
Now that you’ve read the science behind meditation, the benefits it offers, and the different types of meditations, are you finally ready to meditate? Let us guide you to your first meditation session. Below mentioned are the meditation steps for beginners:
01 Find a quiet and distraction-free space to sit or lie down
02 Get into a comfortable meditation posture & relax your body
03 Begin with a quick meditation practice for 10-15 mins
04 Observe your thoughts and sensations as they arise without judgment
05 Whenever the mind wanders, gently bring back your attention to your anchor
06 End your practice with a moment of gratitude
07 Gradually increase the time as you become more comfortable
08 Repeat this practice everyday to reap the benefits of meditation
Advantages of Meditation
It is commonly known that meditation alleviates stress, but meditation offers numerous other benefits to individuals of all levels and experiences that are lesser known. Let’s look at some of the advantages of meditation.
Reduced Stress & Anxiety
There are several studies to prove that meditation can help alleviate symptoms of stress and anxiety. Regular practice can lead to a reduction in anxiety levels, by reducing Cortisol aka “The Stress Hormone” and lead to an improvement in overall mental well-being.
Improved Physical Health
While meditation is highly beneficial for our mental health it is also linked to several physical health benefits. These benefits include lowered blood pressure, reduced chronic pain, improved immune function, and enhanced cardiovascular health.
Improved Focus & Concentration
Meditation is a practice of staying still and observing one’s thoughts. The art of mindfulness helps us develop a habit of enhancing our focus and concentration by training the mind into staying present and attentive. We can then carry this focus into our day to day lives.
Enhanced Self-Awareness
Several meditators look beyond the conventional benefits and practice meditation just to develop a deeper understanding of themselves. It provides an opportunity for introspection, self-reflection, and gaining insight into one's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
Better Sleep Quality
Many beginners observe their sleep quality improves once they start meditating. This happens because meditation helps them calm their mind and relax the body. However, it is essential to establish a routine and be consistent to reap maximum benefits.
Types of Meditation for Beginners
Idanim offers various guided meditations for beginners that include different types of meditation techniques like mindfulness breathing, Vipassana, mantra chanting, etc. Here are some of our meditations that you can begin with.
Anapanasati Bhavana | Guided Meditation for Breathing Exercises
Improve Focus | Guided Meditation for Beginners with Toby Ouvry
Guided Meditation for Inner Peace | Cultivate Tranquility for Personal Growth and Wellness
Anapanasati Bhavana | Guided Meditation for Breathing Exercises
As a beginner, it is recommended that you start your meditation practice with a shorter duration, about 10 minutes. You can gradually increase the duration of your meditation practice as you get comfortable and experienced. The most important principle of meditation is to remain consistent. To reap the advantages of meditation, consistency is more important than the length of the practice. You can check out the beginner meditation courses on the Idanim app, which are specifically designed for people starting their meditation journey.
Meditation offers numerous benefits, including stress reduction, improved focus and concentration, increased self-awareness, enhanced emotional well-being, better sleep quality, and a greater sense of overall well-being.
There are many meditations techniques for beginners. You can start with mindfulness breathing meditation (where you focus on your breath), body scan meditation (bringing awareness to different parts of the body), and loving-kindness meditation (cultivating feelings of compassion). These are some meditation techniques for beginners that are simple and can help you develop a routine of daily meditation practice. Once you form a habit of meditating using the Idanim app, you can browse our 1000+ meditations across 40+ categories to strengthen your practice.
Yoga and meditation are often practiced together and they offer unique benefits. Yoga involves physical postures, breath control, and relaxation techniques. Meditation, on the other hand, focuses on training the mind to achieve a state of calmness and mindfulness. Yoga helps to improve physical strength, flexibility, and balance. Meditation cultivates mental clarity, emotional well-being, and inner peace. Incorporating both Yoga and meditation in your routine can enhance your overall well-being. Many people find that practicing meditation after a yoga session helps them with deeper relaxation along with physical and emotional wellbeing.
It is pretty normal to have a wandering mind during your meditation practice. When you notice yourself getting carried away with thoughts, gently bring your focus back to your chosen anchor, such as your breath or a mantra. With consistent practice, you'll become better at maintaining focus on your anchor. This concentration will help you in your day to day tasks. After practicing regularly you will feel a difference in yourself and observe that you have become more mindful, aware and alert about your surroundings and yourself.
Idanim offers a vast library of 1000+ meditations and you can explore some beginners meditations like mindfulness meditation, visualization meditation, breath awareness meditation, loving-kindness meditation, etc. on the app. These are the most common and easy to practice meditation techniques. Meditation steps for beginners are also quite simple. You just need to prepare yourself for this practice by finding a quiet space, sitting comfortably, focusing on breath, letting thoughts come and go. Just remember to practice regularly. You can begin your practice by downloading the Idanim App from the Play Store or App Store.
Mindfulness meditation is a practice that involves intentionally bringing your attention to the present moment, without judgment or attachment. It involves observing your thoughts, emotions, bodily sensations, and the surrounding environment with a non-reactive and accepting mindset. The aim of this mindfulness practice is to cultivate a state of heightened awareness, clarity, and presence, enabling you to engage with life more fully and respond to experiences with greater compassion and wisdom.
The art of mindfulness is the practice of intentionally bringing one's attention to the present moment, cultivating a non-judgmental awareness of thoughts, emotions, and sensations. It involves being fully engaged in the present experience, whether it's a simple daily activity or a formal meditation practice.
One of the easiest ways to learn mindfulness breathing is through Idanim. Idanim App covers breath meditations in detail. Right from teaching the steps to meditation practice to guiding you throughout the meditation practice. Mindfulness breathing is a form of meditation that helps anchor your attention to the present moment and develop a greater sense of calm and clarity. With consistent practice, it can enhance your overall well-being and help you cultivate a deeper connection with your breath and the present experience.
The difference between meditation and mindfulness is that mindfulness emphasizes paying attention to the present with curiosity, acceptance, and compassion. Meditation refers to a range of techniques and practices aimed at training the mind and achieving a state of mental clarity, emotional calmness, and self-awareness.
Beginners can learn meditation with a few helpful tips.
- Maintain consistency - Meditation practice is all about consistency. To reap the advantages of meditation, one needs to be punctual and consistent with their meditation practice.
- Breathe naturally - When you close your eyes, shut them lightly, and start mindful breathing. Notice every breath as it naturally flows in and out of your body. Don’t try to control or manipulate it.
- Sit in a comfortable posture - Find a posture that best suits your practice. During a meditation practice, you need to be in a posture that is conducive to your practice rather than an uncomfortable posture which disturbs your focus while meditating. After multiple attempts of trying out the right posture for yourself, you will be able to choose the best one for you. You can check some of the meditation postures here .
- Take a moment to reflect on your thoughts - Try to notice how you are feeling after a meditation practice. How are you feeling mentally, physically and emotionally? Are you feeling relaxed, joyful, calm or more focused? It is great to connect and establish a connection with yourself before and after the meditation practice.
- Be free of judgement - The most crucial part of the meditation process is to not judge your thoughts or your meditation session as good or bad! With consistent meditation practice, you will grow. It will be very miniscule in the beginning, but eventually you’ll start to notice the benefits. So, do not keep any expectations and be free of judgment after your meditation practice is over.
Start by finding a quiet and comfortable space. Set aside a specific time for practice each day. Start with short meditation sessions and gradually increase the duration of the meditation. Focus on the present moment by observing thoughts and sensations without judgment. Cultivate patience and consistency, allowing the advantages of meditation to unfold over time. Trying these steps on a daily basis will help you reap the benefits of meditation.
